Beverage extract.



WILLIS H. POST, or BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 POSTUM CEREAL 00.,

LIMITED, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A PARTNERSHIP.

BEVERAGE EXTRACT.

memes.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17, 1913 Application filed September 19, 1912. Serial No. 721,280.

To all whomv't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS H. Posr, of Battle Creek, Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Beverage Extracts, which inventionis fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to beverage extracts and more particularly to a water soluble extract derived from dandelion roots and a saccharine body which when dissolved in water produces a beverage possessing a pleasant bitter flavor and empyreumatic aroma suggestion of coffee but not containing its alkaloids.

Dandelion roots are known to contain bitter principles and sugar and sugar-like bodies which have lead to theuse of their roots for medicinal purposes and also to their use in ground and roasted condition as additiohs to coffee and as a coffee substitute to be "prepared" as coffee by brewing or steeping 'fiie roasted roots. The preparation of a palatable beverage from roasted dandelion roots requires more skill than can be expected from the ordinary cook since much depends on the selection of the roots and their roasting to secure a uniform product. I have discovered that these objections may be overcome and a beverage extract prepared that is practically-uniform in character, is readily soluble in hot or cold water, and makes a beverage superior in flavor to that heretofore prepared from the roasted dandelion roots.

By way of illustrating one way in .which "the benefits of my invention may be secured. l preferably proceed in the following man ner. though I do not wish tobe understood as limiting my product to any particular method oi production: Dandelion roots are selected in which the bitter principles are well developed. Roots gathered from spring to autumn are considered preferable for this reason. The roots are cleaned and in more or less dried condition are mixed with about 20% of saccharine material, preferably New Orleans molasses, though other be used such as sugar, sirups or fruits containing sugar. To facilitate subsequent operations, v the roots may be comn'nni'ited before or when admixed with the saccharine body. The mass is then HHhJQLlK-Ekl to a temperature suflicient to caramelize the sugar and it may be carried to the point of slight carbonizing with advantage. The roasting may be conducted in the open air or air may be more or less excluded. Instead of roasting'the dandelion roots and molasses together, the two may be roasted separately and afterward incorporated. I prefer,

however, to

roast the materials in presence of each other for I believe a better product is secured. Having prepared the roasted product from which it is desired to make the solid extract, the product is treated with water to'dissolve out its soluble constitutents. The extraction may be made in cold water or by steeping or boiling with water, use percolation with water at about 50 to 0., thereby obtaining usually a clear solution which is ready for the production of the solid extract. Should the solution it so. The clear aqueous solution is next concentrated by evaporation to a solid. This operation is preferably conducted in a vacuum pan or on a rotary drum in 'vacuo, the usual precautions well-known to those skilled in this art being taken to prevent injury of the product. The dried extract is then comminuted or reduced to grains, powder, flakes oi" other sub-divided form and is ready for packing. The resulting product is a beverage extract which in comminuted form is of extreme solubility in water. A teaspoonful of the extract may be dissolved in a cup of hot waterin one minute or less and produces a palatablebeverage of pleasing flavor resembling coffee.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A solid soluble extract for reparing beverages, consisting of extractive matter in soluble form from dandelion roots and a saccharine body roasted tocaramelize the sugar content.

A solid soluble extract for preparingbeverages, consisting of soluble extractive matter in comminuted form derived from roasted dandelion roots and a caramelized saccharine body.

3. A. solid soluble extract. for preparing beverages. consisting of soluble extractive matter of rmsted dandelion roots and caramelized molasses.

4. A solid soluble extract for preparing but I prefer tonot be clear, filtration is resorted to to make" beverages consisting of soluble extractive .In testimony'whereof I have signed this matter of dandelion roots and a; saccharlne s peclficatlon 1n the presence of two sub- 10 body roasted to partial carboniz ation. scribing Witnesses.

5. A solid soluble extract for preparing 5 beverages, consisi'ing of soluble extractive WILLIS POST niatten in comminuted form of dandelion Wltnesses: roots 111 molasses roasted to partial car- VERN D. SUTTON bonization. G. M. LA -PIERRE. 

